Here is "8853" from XiaGuan, a 2008 sheng (raw) puerh in a 357g cake.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2008 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · XiaGuan Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: This is a 357g cake with a firm, tight compression. Breaking it open reveals neat, tight threads and some stems.
- Liquor: Expect a clear, bright liquor, typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: On entry there is only a light bitterness and slight astringency, balanced by a natural sweetness. As the session goes on, it shows honey over a smoky background and a sweet and balanced profile. The leaf keeps giving through a long session.
- Mouthfeel & body: Expect a texture that may be rounder than a young sheng, depending on storage.
- Aftertaste: It leaves a lingering sweetness.
- Best for: improving your tea experience — worth reaching for once you have moved past being a first-time puerh drinker.
Brewing Guide
Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- Warm the pot and cups, then add about 5g of leaf per 100ml.
- Rinse the leaves once with boiling water and let them rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.
- Steep the first rounds for 10–15 seconds, adding about 5 seconds with each round.
- Pour every steep into a fairness pitcher before serving.
- Serve. Sheng puerh resteeps well for many rounds.
Treat these as starting points rather than fixed rules. Try high or low pours, fast or slow, and brew in different seasons to find the method that suits you. Brewing the same tea well in any year, season, weather or place takes practice, and that skill is the real goal.
Storage
Keep the tea ventilated, cool and dry, away from sunlight and strong odors (kitchen spices, smoke). For long-term aging, paper or clay containers breathe better than sealed plastic.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur, especially in teas with more years of storage.
- Bamboo powder (zhu fen): a natural sign of traditional bamboo-husk packing. In Guangdong's warm, humid climate, tiny bamboo insects can make their home in the husk, nibbling the husk and cotton paper wrapper while leaving the tea itself untouched. What they leave behind is a fine powder, seen only on certain teas and more often on aged ones. It is harmless to hygiene; a few strokes with a clean toothbrush or soft brush before brewing is all it takes.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spots may appear and can come from natural tea oils. They are not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: small tears or holes in the cotton paper may happen during storage and handling. The tea inside is unaffected.
